Political Continuity and Economic Change, 1990-present

Aftermath of 1989 Protest Movement

Communist Party Leadership Reshuffle

“Second generation paramount leader”

*Deng Xiaoping

Remains Chair of Central Military Affairs Commission

Senior “state planners”

Chen Yun and Li Xiannian

President

Yang Shangkun

New Politburo Standing Committee

*Zhao Ziyang

*Jiang Zemin

New Secretary-General of CCP

Electrical engineer

Shanghai mayor (1985) and party secretary (1987)

*Li Peng

Remains Premier

3 others

Zhao Ziyang, Prisoner of the State, pp. 53-87

1. How was the CCP’s investigation into Zhao Ziyang’s case carried out?

• In describing the vote to oust him from the Politburo, Zhao complains that the elders followed the CCP’s custom of “acknowledging neither laws nor heavenly constraints” (p. 42). What does he mean?
• How does this describe the vote and later the investigation against him?

2. What are his alleged crimes? (p. 71). What seem to be the main reasons that Deng Xiaoping lost faith in Zhao?

• What does it mean that he is accused of “supporting turmoil” and “splitting the Party”? (p. 71).
• Why did the speech that Zhao Ziyang gave to the Asian Development Bank on May 4th 1989, the 70th anniversary of the May 4th 1919 protests, later cause problems for him (#9, pp. 65-66)?
• After Zhao’s meeting with Gorbachev, why did protesters’ “Slogans such as ‘Overthrow Deng Xiaoping!’ and ‘Support Zhao Ziyang’ cause problems for Zhao (#17, p. 68)?

3. Do you trust Zhao Ziyang’s side of the story?

• Do you agree with Zhao’s belief that that the conflict with the students could have been resolved?
• Spence suggests that Zhao, “may have seen the students’ demonstrations as a potential political force that could strengthen his own party base and enable him to shunt aside Li Peng and perhaps even Deng Xiaoping himself.” (page 660, first paragraph) Do you agree with Spence that Zhao might have been planning to ride a wave of popular protest to grab ultimate power in China?

4. How is Zhao’s detention handled? How clearly defined are his freedoms of movement? What explains the lack of clarity? What determines changes in the terms of restrictions on his movements?

CCP Political-Economic Strategy 1992-present

Deng Xiaoping’s, “inspection visit to the south,” 1992

Photo from Chinese press coverage

What did Deng mean when he said, “ideology cannot supply rice” (Spence, p. 670)

Buy political allegiance with economic growth

Increase skill at running market economy

CCP Political system unchanged

According to Deng, Hu Yaobang and Zhao Ziyang, “stumbled on the issue of opposing bourgeois liberalization” (Spence, p. 670). What did Deng mean?

Agricultural policy unchanged

Rural residents cannot receive work permits outside of home area

Continuity in Communist Party authoritarian rule since 1989

*Deng Xiaoping fades from scene, Died 1997

“Second generation paramount leader”

“Technocrat” Secretary-Generals of CCP

*Zhao Ziyang, 1987-1989, d. Jan. 2005

*Jiang Zemin, 1989-2003

Chairman of Central Military Affairs Commission, 1993-2005

“Third generation paramount leader”

Jiang Zemin meets a foreign friend in Chinese press

Hu Jintao, 2003-present

Chairman of Central Military Affairs Commission, 2005

“Fourth generation paramount leader”

Hu Jintao meets a foreign friend in traditional pose

"Political" Secretary-General of CCP

*Xi Jinping, 2013-present

Chairman of Military Affairs Commission, 2013-present

“Fifth generation paramount leader”

Son of high-ranking CCP member

Two dudes at the ranch American style

Mar A-Lago love affair